@Nicole – I often say the more you give the more you grow, but also make the free stuff one-size-fits-all and make the sold stuff specific, actionable, step by step. Sell blueprints, give ideas and inspiration. By all means follow up by email, ask, because if you don’t ask you won’t know and if they are “funny” about it, nothing lost. I wouldn’t worry about random strangeness, just try to detect if it is random or part of a pattern of behavior.

@Nicole – I often say the more you give the more you grow, but also make the free stuff one-size-fits-all and make the sold stuff specific, actionable, step by step. Sell blueprints, give ideas and inspiration. By all means follow up by email, ask, because if you don’t ask you won’t know and if they are “funny” about it, nothing lost. I wouldn’t worry about random strangeness, just try to detect if it is random or part of a pattern of behavior.

Also, is it ok to email her and ask for more information and discuss it? Or, is that taboo?

Also, is it ok to email her and ask for more information and discuss it? Or, is that taboo?

I love this approach – providing value as a way of marketing. It gets rid of the dodginess (well mostly) of so much of the hype based approach. I think (and surely hope) that it is the future of blogging.

The way I hope to make money is both from my blog and a related ‘product’ (a membership course and forum) – coming later this year, stay tuned! sign up to my RSS feed now! I don’t see why this approach can’t work for these sorts of things as well as a way of generating leads for services.

Thanks for pointing me to this great resource. Much appreciated.

I love this approach – providing value as a way of marketing. It gets rid of the dodginess (well mostly) of so much of the hype based approach. I think (and surely hope) that it is the future of blogging.

The way I hope to make money is both from my blog and a related ‘product’ (a membership course and forum) – coming later this year, stay tuned! sign up to my RSS feed now! I don’t see why this approach can’t work for these sorts of things as well as a way of generating leads for services.

Thanks for pointing me to this great resource. Much appreciated.

One problem with blogs is also an advantage when you’re selling services: blogs are a pain to really learn anything from or to digest large amounts of content. Their newest-content-first nature makes this difficult. Categories, tags, and search don’t really give you the right information in a dense, dedicated, linear fashion. Because of this, you can give away almost any content you want. It’s nowhere near the same thing as having a real person address your issues. It’s not even close to what you get in a non-blog learning environment. No matter how much you give away, people will still need your services.

One problem with blogs is also an advantage when you’re selling services: blogs are a pain to really learn anything from or to digest large amounts of content. Their newest-content-first nature makes this difficult. Categories, tags, and search don’t really give you the right information in a dense, dedicated, linear fashion. Because of this, you can give away almost any content you want. It’s nowhere near the same thing as having a real person address your issues. It’s not even close to what you get in a non-blog learning environment. No matter how much you give away, people will still need your services.

@Joe – Certainly will, but it is also one of the foundations of the authority blogger course I am putting together

@LA – Thanks for your kind words and that is exactly the mindset I think more companies need, less “broadcast louder” and more “what do our customers actually WANT to know more about?”

@Matt – I think we can either see customers as a hunt or confrontation or we can be on their side. I know which I prefer when I am on the customer side of the equation so why would I choose otherwise when I have something to sell?

@Christine – You know it was you made the cool table cool right? Just checking As most people know, I couldn’t “Sell” if my life depended on it, I am just not wired right. All I can do is be as helpful, approachable and open as I can, then make sure what I offer is easy to find. You are an example to all of us, all the online marketing role models seem to be in the “make money online space”, you are making this stuff work for you in a completely unique niche and do a great job of it (Buy Christine’s CD’s, they are BRILLIANT)

@Guilherme – Indeed, a lot of this stuff is wrapped up in fear of giving away trade secrets, but really, how many actual secrets are there? If people learn all they need they will still remember you and know someone to refer to when a friend has difficulty.

@Joe – Certainly will, but it is also one of the foundations of the authority blogger course I am putting together

@LA – Thanks for your kind words and that is exactly the mindset I think more companies need, less “broadcast louder” and more “what do our customers actually WANT to know more about?”

@Matt – I think we can either see customers as a hunt or confrontation or we can be on their side. I know which I prefer when I am on the customer side of the equation so why would I choose otherwise when I have something to sell?

@Christine – You know it was you made the cool table cool right? Just checking As most people know, I couldn’t “Sell” if my life depended on it, I am just not wired right. All I can do is be as helpful, approachable and open as I can, then make sure what I offer is easy to find. You are an example to all of us, all the online marketing role models seem to be in the “make money online space”, you are making this stuff work for you in a completely unique niche and do a great job of it (Buy Christine’s CD’s, they are BRILLIANT)

@Guilherme – Indeed, a lot of this stuff is wrapped up in fear of giving away trade secrets, but really, how many actual secrets are there? If people learn all they need they will still remember you and know someone to refer to when a friend has difficulty.

Assuming that, you can always can give away the what and capitalize on the how, but maybe you can go further and give away the how.

If you are competent enough, you will always have people willing to work with you and the knowledge you share will be enough evidence you are the right guy/girl to have around.

Assuming that, you can always can give away the what and capitalize on the how, but maybe you can go further and give away the how.

If you are competent enough, you will always have people willing to work with you and the knowledge you share will be enough evidence you are the right guy/girl to have around.

Since I started blogging, not only have my performances been reaching sell-outs – but the women’s retreats I facilitate are selling out, as are the e-Seminars I do. I honestly don’t SELL any of this stuff hard. I push my “pitches” to the edge of my comfort zone (occasionally I’ll blog ABOUT the e-seminar or one of the retreats. Or I’ll write a funny post about a show I’m doing in the coming weekend) – slowly, I’ve gotten email requests for speaking engagements, and people wanting more info on the e-Seminars. I think you can definitely sell things in your own style and from your center.

I learn A LOT from people who DO sell stuff in a big way – Alex Mandossian and Joe Vitale, etc. So I can’t wait to watch this video. When I read or watch informative marketing information, I let it stew inside of me and then allow it to teach me to “sell” in the way that works for me. It’s great to learn about it – rather than turn away from it as so many people do.

Since I started blogging, not only have my performances been reaching sell-outs – but the women’s retreats I facilitate are selling out, as are the e-Seminars I do. I honestly don’t SELL any of this stuff hard. I push my “pitches” to the edge of my comfort zone (occasionally I’ll blog ABOUT the e-seminar or one of the retreats. Or I’ll write a funny post about a show I’m doing in the coming weekend) – slowly, I’ve gotten email requests for speaking engagements, and people wanting more info on the e-Seminars. I think you can definitely sell things in your own style and from your center.

I learn A LOT from people who DO sell stuff in a big way – Alex Mandossian and Joe Vitale, etc. So I can’t wait to watch this video. When I read or watch informative marketing information, I let it stew inside of me and then allow it to teach me to “sell” in the way that works for me. It’s great to learn about it – rather than turn away from it as so many people do.

I don’t write my blog to make money off google ads or mini malls or whatever. At first I was reluctant to blog about what I considered were my “professional secrets” but I quickly learned – probably after reading too many blogs like this one – “giving away” valuable knowledge wasn’t losing potential clients, in fact many prospective clients tended to lurk around my blog for a few months before getting in touch about professonal services, and when they did, they were very much more clued up about what it was they were paying for.

I’d refer back to what Darren would say about ads on your blog. Don’t spring it on your readers once you’ve started building! People who read my blog know I want their business. It may not exactly bring in the links but I’m never short of work.

I don’t write my blog to make money off google ads or mini malls or whatever. At first I was reluctant to blog about what I considered were my “professional secrets” but I quickly learned – probably after reading too many blogs like this one – “giving away” valuable knowledge wasn’t losing potential clients, in fact many prospective clients tended to lurk around my blog for a few months before getting in touch about professonal services, and when they did, they were very much more clued up about what it was they were paying for.

I’d refer back to what Darren would say about ads on your blog. Don’t spring it on your readers once you’ve started building! People who read my blog know I want their business. It may not exactly bring in the links but I’m never short of work.